"National Harbor, Md.—With just one day remaining before graduate loan caps take effect, financial aid administrators who gathered Tuesday at the annual National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators conference found themselves struggling to understand next steps," Inside Higher Ed reports.

..."In the morning’s opening session, Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent—who walked out to Europe’s “The Final Countdown”—restated that ED stands by its definition of “professional” versus graduate programs."

"'We will see this case through the merits, but we are pretty confident in our position,' he said, adding that he felt the judge had ruled based on a flawed understanding of the rule. 'We have time … to really educate the court on how we developed this definition in a way where she might feel more comfortable moving forward.'"

"NASFAA President and CEO Melanie Storey told Kent she appreciated ED putting out guidance. 'This is an important interim piece—this came down [Thursday], so your weekend, also ruined,' she said. 'That’s how that goes, sometimes. But [I] appreciate the speed to get information out.'"

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 7/1/2026